12.17.10 – (LAA) – Negotiations Update, FAAC Recommends How to Fix Industry, Recall Update, WTS, Discontinue Sale of LTCI, Smart Phone Travel App, Uniform Points

APFA Weekly Hotline Update for the week ending December 17, 2010

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
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The APFA Negotiating Team met this week in preparation for its January 4-6 meeting with the National Mediation Board (NMB). The parties will be meeting in Nashville for a long awaited round of negotiations since their last negotiated session in May. President Laura Glading received an email the first of December from NMBís Director of Mediation Services, Larry Gibbons, noticing the parties to be prepared to negotiate.

“The Negotiating Team is well prepared for the contract talks early next year,” said APFA President Laura Glading. “Our commitment to getting Flight Attendants a contract that recognizes the sacrifices we have made over the last seven years has not changed throughout these negotiations and we will continue on this path. It has been a long and difficult road throughout these negotiations and I want to thank each and every one of you for your support.”

Glading continued:

“The company has an opportunity to start 2011 on a positive note with labor peace. But they must put real money on the table because we will not accept a proposal that would leave the Flight Attendants making less in the end that they do today.”

FAAC Recommends How to Fix Industry

The Federal Aviation Advisory Committee met December 15, 2010 and made formal recommendations to US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on how to address challenges faced by the US aviation industry. APFA President Laura Glading and Government Affairs Representative Julie Frederick-Tandy attended many of the committee’s meeting and believe the recommendations are a step in the right direction.

“The FAAC took on a huge array of complex issues and challenges impacting the airline industry. The recommendations developed were solid and if implemented will be effective in improving the industry for workers, passengers and airlines,” said Tandy. “We remain optimistic these changes will take place as Secretary LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt gave strong indications that they are ready to begin the necessary steps to put these recommendations into action.”

Click here to see recommendations posted on the APFA website.

RECALL UPDATE

We are happy to welcome back over 200 of our members who returned to the line today, December 17. This is great news for all APFA members!

We’d like to remind our members that recall information, including a Q and A is available on the Recall page of the APFA website. In particular, we’d like to remind those Flight Attendants returning to the line in December to review the information concerning their 420 threshold for December to ensure they accrue Vacation and Sick for that month as well as receive subsidized rates for their insurance in December if they will be electing benefits from American.

WTS

Willingness to Serve (WTS) Notifications for Base Chairperson, Base Vice Chairperson and Base Operational Council Representatives for all bases were mailed to all members. Anyone interested in further serving your union should complete and return the form to APFA. The forms are due back in the designated P.O. Box by 10:00 a.m. CST on January 6, 2011. Ballots will be mailed on January 26, 2011 and electronic voting must be completed by 10:00 a.m. CST on February 25, 2011.

As a reminder you must be a member in good standing to both run for office and to cast your ballot.

FROM THE SCHEDULING DEPARTMENT
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Pursers will have the option of picking up open next day purser positions during the course of Open Time coverage before the 1600 make-up under the following guidelines:

• On a strictly voluntary basis.
• Utilize the N4 (I or D)/base/date entry to research open trips as well as those currently assigned to FAs on the sick list for the following day.
• Request specific assignments via HISEND message: BOS-D 202, DCA-D 203, DFW-D 204, LAX-D 205, LGA-D 206, MIA-D 207, ORD-D 208, SFO-D 209, SLT-D 210, BOS-I 211, DCA-I 213, IDF 214, IMA 215, IOR 216, JFK 217, LAX-I 218, RDU-I 219, SFO-I 220.

If awarded any sequence on the HISEND message, the purser is obligated to fly; use AVRS or HI1 to confirm your trip.

**REMEMBER WHEN USING HISEND MESSAGE FORMS, ANY TIME CONSTRAINTS REGARDING WHEN THE HISEND MUST BE RECEIVED ARE BASED ON LOCAL BASE TIME (LBT).

FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
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MetLife recently announced that it would discontinue the sale of new Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI). MetLife will continue to accept new applications for policies up until 12/30/10.

MetLife’s decision to stop writing new LTCI business will have no impact on existing insured’s coverage. As long as premiums are paid on time, coverage cannot be canceled.

All Flight Attendants currently insured can continue to make coverage changes per the terms of their policy or certificate, including inflation protection offers and requests to increase or decrease coverage.

Members interested in applying for LTCI coverage prior to 12/30/10 can link to the MetLife website from the Benefits page on JetNet or contact MetLife at 1-866-838-1072.

SMART PHONE TRAVEL APP

Monday, December 13 American announced the launching of JetAway, the industries first smart phone travel app for employees and retirees. This application was specifically designed to assist with our non-revenue travel needs. American Airlines launched a similar iPhone app in July 2010 for its customers.

With JetAway, employees will have the ability to email boarding passes, get a list of all confirmed and non-rev trips and flight details, check in for a domestic flight, cancel a trip, check the priority list, view gates and time information and create flight status notification.

For Blackberry and Android users, versions of the employee travel application are in production and targeted to be released in 2011.

USE THEM OR LOSE THEM

The deadline to use your 2010 uniform points is rapidly approaching. Any remaining points from the regular yearly allotment, including the 9 additional points issued by Flight Service, as part of the uniform blouse and tie transition, will expire at the end of year and will not rollover to next year. Please place your order for uniform items as soon as possible so that you donít miss the deadline. As a reminder, the new uniform transition will be effective June 1, 2010.

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Please remember there are currently 1,111 members on furlough and awaiting recall.